Collaborative Research: RUI: Functional design of siphonophore propulsion and behavior

管水母是一组高度多样化的殖民地水母，是世界上最大的生态系统--开阔海洋的中间水域--的广泛和重要组成部分。人们对这些水母的功能知之甚少。据认为，大多数管水母类的一生都悬浮在水中，并通过喷气推进在海洋中移动。然而，这很可能是对这种高度多样化的水母如何发挥作用的过度简单化。这个项目的目标是研究管水母的形状和身体设计与它们如何游泳，以及它们的游泳和觅食行为之间的关系。人们对这些水母以及开阔海洋中的大多数其他胶状动物知之甚少的主要原因是，科学家接触这些脆弱的偏远动物的机会非常有限。然而，我们的团队已经开发出工具和技术，使我们的团队能够在它们的自然栖息地研究这些动物。在这个项目中，管水母的游泳运动和力学将使用由潜水员和遥控潜水器(ROV)控制的新型成像工具的组合来量化。这项研究将提供对这些水母的身体形态如何决定它们的功能的理解。这是了解它们在世界上最大的生态系统中所扮演的角色的关键信息。这也是工程师可以用来设计更好的水下机器人的信息，这些水下机器人比目前最先进的技术移动更有效，更具机动性。管水母是殖民地生物，是公海群落中广泛存在的重要组成部分。据认为，大多数管水母物种的一生都悬浮在水中，通过喷气推进在海洋中移动。然而，这很可能是对这种高度多样化的水母如何发挥作用的过度简单化。更广泛地了解这些水母的功能的历史障碍一直是接触这些动物的困难。我们的团队在蓝水潜水和遥控潜水器(ROV)方面取得的成像进展解决了这些限制。用于潜水员控制和ROV操作的现场高速成像、亮场和粒子图像测速仪(PIV)现在可以详细定量测量表层和深层虹吸体的推进机制和游泳行为(短期和长期)。这种现场系统的组合使我们的团队能够收集所需的多尺度形态、运动学、水动力学和行为数据，以便能够确定不同管水母体形的优势和限制。这些结果将允许对形式和功能进行广泛的比较，这是了解不同管水母在远洋生态系统中的营养作用所必需的。这些结果还将有助于理解这些殖民地物种的设计原则，这些原则将为将喷气推进器与小型飞行器相结合的新颖工程设计提供依据，并最终可能扩大对海洋的探索和发现。该项目将培训年轻科学家，并将在我们的合作伙伴的帮助下，使用视频和可视化技术进行教育推广和公众参与。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Siphonophores are a highly diverse group of colonial jellyfish that are widespread and important components of the world’s largest ecosystem, the midwaters of the open ocean. Very little is known about how these jellyfish function. It is thought that the majority of siphonophores spend their entire life suspended in water and move through the ocean via jet propulsion. However, this is likely a gross over-simplification of how this highly diverse group of jellyfish function. The goal of this project is to study how siphonophore shape and body design are related to how they swim, and their swimming and feeding behavior. The main reason so little is understood about these jellyfish, and really most other gelatinous animals in the open ocean, is that scientists have had very limited access to these delicate, remote animals. However, our team has developed tools and techniques that enable our team to study these animals in their natural habitat. In this project, siphonophore swimming movements and mechanics will be quantified using a combination of novel imaging tools controlled by both SCUBA divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). This research will provide an understanding of how the body form of these jellyfish determines how they function. This is critical information for understanding their role in the largest ecosystem of the world. It is also information that can be used by engineers to design better underwater vehicles that move more efficiently and are more maneuverable than current state-of-the-art technology.Siphonophores are colonial cnidarians that are widespread, important components of open ocean communities. It is thought that the majority of siphonophore species spend their entire life suspended in water moving through the ocean via jet propulsion. However, this is likely a gross over-simplification of how this highly diverse group of jellyfish function. The historic obstacle to broader understanding of how these jellyfish function has been the difficulty of accessing these animals. Imaging advances that our team has made in both blue-water SCUBA and with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) have addressed these limitations. In situ high-speed imaging, bright field, and particle image velocimetry (PIV) for both diver-controlled and ROV operations now allow detailed quantitative measurements of propulsive mechanisms and swimming behavior (short- and long-term) for both surface and deep-dwelling siphonophores. This combination of in situ systems enables our team to collect the multi-scale morphological, kinematic, hydrodynamic, and behavioral data required to be able to establish the benefits and limits of different siphonophore body forms. These results will allow a broad comparison of form and function that is required to understand the trophic role of different siphonophores in the pelagic ecosystem. The results will also contribute to understanding design principles of these colonial species that will inform novel engineered designs that combine jet propulsors in small vehicles, and could ultimately expand exploration and discovery in the oceans. This project will train young scientists, and with the help of our partners, will use video and visualizations for education outreach and engagement of the public.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.